1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and methods of protecting an electrical component. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protection device for an electrical component connected to a battery, and a method of determining the temperature to which the protective housing was exposed.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In the prior art, there are devices for protecting an electrical component, such as a fuse and diode assembly, connected to and mounted on a battery. Such prior art devices include a cylindrical spacer ring and a terminal cap. The spacer ring is positioned on an end of the battery. The electrical component resides within the spacer ring, and is electrically connected to the battery by at least one, and sometimes two electrical, leads. Another electrical lead of the electrical component is connected to the terminal cap.
To assemble the battery, the electrical component and the prior art spacer ring, an electrically insulating half-moon disk is placed on the battery header. Next, the electrical component is placed on the half-moon disk. Then the first electrical lead of the electrical component is welded to a terminal pin of the battery. If provided, a second electrical lead of the electrical component is welded to the header of the battery. Next, the spacer ring is placed on the battery so as to encircle the electrical component. Then the volume within the spacer ring and above the battery, which is not occupied by the electrical component, is filled with an adhesive material, which may be a polyamide material such as AD-TECH 700 manufactured by Adhesive Technologies, Inc. of Hampton, N.H. (sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9chot-meltxe2x80x9d), or which may be an epoxy or silicone material. In doing so, the electrical component is substantially covered with the adhesive material. Only a portion of an electrical lead of the electrical component extends out of and is not entirely covered with the adhesive material. Next, an insulating disk is placed partially into the adhesive material, and a terminal cap is placed over the insulating disk, as well as that portion of the adhesive material which is not covered by the insulating disk. Finally, the exposed electrical lead of the electrical component extending from the adhesive material is welded to the terminal cap.
Such prior art assemblies have disadvantages. For example, manufacturing such prior art assemblies take a great amount of time, are costly and are messy, primarily due to the adhesive material. Furthermore, a substantial amount of scrap material is generated in manufacturing such prior art assemblies. Finally, if the electrical component does not operate properly, removal and replacement with a properly operating electrical component is difficult, if not impossible. Finally, the prior art devices do not provide a method of determining the temperature to which the protective housing, and therefore the electrical component, has been exposed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a protection device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a protection device and method which permits but does not require the use of adhesive material when assembling the battery and an electrical component.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protection device that permits replacement of an improperly operating electrical component.
The foregoing objectives are realized by the present invention, which is a protection device for an electrical component that has a protective housing and a terminal cap. The protective housing has a base with a contact hole therethrough for accommodating an electrical terminal pin. A projecting shoulder extends from the base to a first distance from the base. In addition, a retaining clip extends from the base to a second distance from the base, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The terminal cap has a first side and a second side, and in use, at least part of the first side of the terminal cap contacts the projecting shoulder and at least part of the second side of the terminal cap contacts the retaining clip to thereby capture the terminal cap between the projecting shoulder and the retaining clip.
In a method according to the present invention, a battery and a protective housing, such as that referred to above, are provided. The protective housing is exposed to an environment and then the surface of the protective housing is compared to a standard to determine the temperature of the environment.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the attached drawings and claims appended hereto.